Close-conforming vehicle floor tray with reservoir

ABSTRACT

A vehicle floor tray is molded from a multiple extrusion thermoplastic polymer sheet such that it has high shear and tensile strength, an acceptable degree of stiffness and a high coefficient of friction on its upper surface. The floor tray design is digitally fitted to a foot well of a particular model of vehicle such that a lower surface of the tray is no more than one-half of an inch from a digitally acquired model of the foot well surface.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application No. 10/976,441 filed Oct. 29, 2004, the specification and drawings of which are fully incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Motor vehicles are almost always operated in the out of doors and are frequently parked there. It is therefore very common for their occupants to have wet or muddy feet—if the occupants have not just finished an outdoor activity, at least they have had to walk across a possibly wet, snowy or muddy surface to access their vehicles. For decades, therefore, vehicle owners have been attempting to protect the enclosed interiors of their vehicles (cars, trucks, SUVs) from what they themselves track into them. The conventional solution to this has been to provide a vehicle floor mat which may be periodically removed by the owner and cleaned.

Human beings have a tendency to move their feet around, and foot motion is an absolute requirement in operating most vehicles. This has caused a problem, in that the occupants of a vehicle have a tendency to push around the floor mats with their feet. The floor mats end up not being centered on the area protected, or pushed up so as to occlude the gas, brake or clutch pedals, or bunched up or folded over - all undesirable conditions. One objective of floor mat manufacturers has therefore been to provide a floor mat that will stay put and which will not adversely affect vehicle operation.

The foot wells of cars, trucks and SUVs vary in size in shape from one model of vehicle to the next. Floor mat manufacturers have noticed that floor mats which at least approximately conform to the shape of the bottom surface of the foot well stay in place better and offer more protection. It is also common for such floor mats, where provided for front seat foot wells, to have portions which are meant to lie against the firewalls or front surfaces of the foot wells. Even as so extended it is not too hard to provide a floor mat of flexible material that will approximately conform to these two surfaces, as the designer only has to mark a two-dimensional periphery of the mat in providing one which will fit reasonably well.

More recently, vehicle floor trays have come onto the market. Most front-seat vehicle foot wells are actually three-dimensional concave shapes, typically with complex curved surfaces. Floor trays have sidewalls that offer enhanced protection to the surfaces surrounding the vehicle floor, as might be needed against wearers with very muddy or snowy shoes. Conventional vehicle floor trays try to fit into these three-dimensional cavities, but so far their fit to the surfaces that they are supposed to protect has been less than optimum. A conventional vehicle floor tray is typically molded of a single-ply rubber or plastic material, exhibits enough stiffness to retain a three-dimensional shape, but is also at least somewhat flexible. Fitting such a tray to the complex three-dimensional surface of a vehicle foot well has proven to be difficult, and many products currently in the marketplace have limited consumer acceptance because of their loose fit inside the foot well. There is often, and in many places, a considerable space between the exterior wall of these conventional trays and the interior surface of the foot well. This causes the wall to noticeably deform when the occupant's foot contacts it. Vehicle owners have a tendency to dislike floor trays which rattle, deform, shift and flop about.

One conventional tray molding process is believed to take a casting or male impression of the vehicle foot well surface and to produce a mold based on that casting. This casting necessitates substantial and uniform compression of the vehicle carpet pile and subsequently causes an inexactness of fit. Floor trays produced by this process also have been relatively shallow, perhaps due to limitations inherent in using a casting fluid which then solidifies. This process has not been used to take an impression of a door sill or sill curve adjacent the foot well, or to create a floor tray that protects these surfaces.

A need therefore persists for a floor tray that will have a more exact fit to the vehicle foot well for which it is provided, that stays in place once it is installed, and that provides a more solid and certain feel to the occupants' feet.

Some vehicle floor mats that are now on the market have fluid reservoirs built into them. Particularly in cold or wet climates, dirty water has a tendency to be shed onto the floor mat, where it persists until it evaporates. If there is enough of it, it will leak off of the floor mat and stain the carpeting of the foot well that the mat was meant to protect. These reservoirs typically are recessed areas in the mats that provide the mats with an enhanced ability to retain snow-melt and the like, until the water evaporates or can be disposed of by the vehicle owner or user. One advanced design places treads in the middle of the reservoir, such that the feet of the occupant are held above any fluid that the reservoir collects. But including such a reservoir within a floor tray that otherwise has an acceptable fit to the three-dimensional surface of a vehicle foot well has not yet been done, since there are problems in incorporating a three-dimensional liquid-holding vessel into a product that ideally conforms, on its lower surface, to the surface of the foot well. Further, a reservoir which collects drip water from a large surface, such as a vehicle floor tray, will exhibit more problems in keeping the collected fluid from sloshing about in a moving vehicle than a reservoir in a mat of more limited area.

Conventional vehicle floor mats and trays are molded from a single rubber or plastic material. The selection of this material is controlled by its cost, its resistance to shear forces, its tensile strength, its abrasion resistance, its ability to conform to the surface of the vehicle foot well, its sound-deadening properties and how slippery or nonslippery it is relative to the occupants' feet, with nonslipperiness (having a relatively high coefficient of friction) being advantageous. Often the designer must make tradeoffs among these different design constraints in specifying the material from which the tray or mat is to be made.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle floor cover, mat or tray which is removably installable by a consumer and which is formed of at least three layers that are bonded together, preferably by coextrusion. The three layers include a central layer whose composition is distinct from a bottom layer and a top layer. Preferably, all three layers are formed of thermoplastic polymer materials. In another aspect of the invention, the top layer exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction with respect to a sample meant to emulate a typical shoe outsole (neoprene rubber, Shore A Durometer 60) of at least about 0.82.

Preferably, a major portion of the central layer is a polyolefin. More preferably, the polyolefin is either a polypropylene or a polyethylene. Most preferably, the polyolefin is a high molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE) as herein defined. In an alternative embodiment, the central layer can be a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) or an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) polymer blend.

Preferably, a major portion of the top layer is a thermoplastic elastomer, such as one of the publicly available but proprietary compositions sold under the trademarks SANTOPRENE®, GEOLAST® and VYRAM®. VYRAM® is particularly preferred. In another embodiment, a major portion of the top layer can be an ABS polymer blend. Where ABS is used in both the top and central layers, it is preferred that the amount of the polybutadiene phase in the top layer be greater than the amount of this phase in the central layer.

It is further preferred that a major portion of the bottom layer likewise be a thermoplastic elastomer, and conveniently it can be, but does not have to be, of the same composition as the major portion of the top layer.

Preferably one or more of the layers is actually a polymer blend, in which a minor portion is preselected for its coextrusion compatibility with the adjacent layer(s). Thus, a minor portion of the top and bottom layers can consist of a polyolefin, while a minor portion of the central layer can consist of a thermoplastic elastomer. In each case, it is preferred that the minor portion be no more than about one part in four by weight of each layer, or a weight ratio of 1:3. Where all three layers are preselected to be ABS blends, the amount of polybutadiene in the blend preferably is decreased in the central layer relative to the top and bottom layers.

While the preferred embodiment of the vehicle floor cover consists of three integral layers, any one of the recited layers can in fact be made up of two or more sublayers, such that the total number of sublayers in the resultant mat or tray can exceed three.

In another embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer constituent of the top, central and/or bottom layers described above can be replaced with a natural or synthetic rubber, including styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM).

According to a related aspect of the invention, a vehicle floor cover is provided that has three layers bonded together, preferably by coextrusion. Major portions of the top and bottom layer consist of thermoplastic elastomer(s). The top and bottom layers have compositions distinct from the central layer, which can be chosen for its relatively low expense. It is preferred that a major portion of the central layer be a polyolefin and that major portions of the top and bottom layers be one or more thermoplastic elastomers. The polyolefin may be selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene, and preferably is a high molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE). The thermoplastic elastomer can, for example, be SANTOPRENE®, GEOLAST® or VYRAM®, with VYRAM® being particularly preferred. It is also preferred that each of the layers be a polymer blend, with a minor portion of each layer being chosen for its coextrusion compatibility with adjacent layers. For example, the top and bottom layers can consist of a 3:1 weight ratio of VYRAM®/HMPE, and the central layer of a 3:1 weight ratio of HMPE/VYRAM®.

In an embodiment alternative to the one above, the top and bottom layers can consist of ABS polymer blends and the central layer can consist of SAN or an ABS in which the polybutadiene phase is present in a smaller concentration than in the top and bottom layers.

In yet another embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer recited in this aspect of the invention may be replaced with a natural or synthetic rubber, such as styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM).

In a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle floor tray or mat according to the invention is made of three layers, wherein a top layer and a bottom layer have composition(s) distinct from the central layer, and wherein at least one of the shear strength per cross-sectional area, tensile strength per cross-sectional area and stiffness per cross-sectional area is greater than any one of the layers from which the tray or mat is composed. It has been found that a triextruded vehicle mat or floor tray according to the invention exhibits a tensile strength at yield, a tensile stress at break, a tensile modulus, a shear strength and a flexural modulus (stiffness) which are superior to either a polyolefin-dominated single extrusion or a thermoplastic elastomer-dominated single extrusion. The triextrusion tray demonstrates these enhanced physical properties while at the same time affording an enhanced coefficient of friction to the feet of the occupant and improved tactile properties. By presenting such a surface to the shoe of the driver or passenger, the footing of the driver or passenger will be more sure and comfortable.

In a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle foot well tray is provided as a part of a system that has the vehicle foot well as its other main component. The tray has a greatly enhanced conformance to the surface of the vehicle foot well for which it is provided. At least two upstanding walls of the tray, both extending from the tray floor to a top margin, conform to respective surfaces of the vehicle foot well such that at least within that one-third of the area of the outer surface of these upstanding walls of the tray which is adjacent the top margin, 90% of that top third area departs by no more than about one-eighth of an inch (0.317 cm) from the foot well surfaces to which they mate. These upstanding tray surfaces may be opposed surfaces or adjacent surfaces, and preferably are both. In one embodiment in which the tray extends to cover a vehicle door sill, the tray departs from a door sill surface of the vehicle foot well, and/or a sill curve of the vehicle foot well, by about 0.025 inches (0.064 cm). The upstanding sidewalls of the floor tray conform to the foot well surfaces which they cover, even where such foot well surfaces present both concave and convex surface elements.

In another embodiment of the invention, a tray fits into a vehicle foot well such that, when a vehicle foot well surface model replicating the vehicle foot well surface, preferably as it exists in a substantially uncompressed condition, is superimposed to best fit to the lower surface of the tray, at least ninety percent of the lower surface of the tray is within 0.25 inch (0.635 cm) of the vehicle foot well surface model. Preferably, at least fifty percent of this lower tray surface is disposed within 0.125 inch (0.317 cm) of this model. The tray includes a reservoir within its aft two-thirds and which occupies between ten and fifty percent of the upper tray surface. A circumferential wall of the tray reservoir is at least 0.050″ (0.127 cm) deep and more preferably is 0.25 inches (0.635 cm) deep.

In a still further aspect of the invention, a top margin of a vehicle floor tray is substantially coplanar on at least two upstanding sidewalls thereof. Preferably, the top margin of the tray is substantially coplanar through three or even four continuous upstanding sidewalls. This eases the design of the floor tray, increases hoop strength and assures that all upstanding surfaces of the vehicle foot well will receive adequate protection from muddy footwear. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plane of the top margin is forwardly and upwardly tilted relative to a horizontal floor. This provides enhanced protection to the vehicle foot well precisely in the place where muddy footwear are likely to be, near the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals or the firewall, while allowing movement of the seat. In a preferred embodiment, the tray is at least four inches (10.1 cm) deep at its deepest part.

In a still further aspect of the invention, the above mentioned tight tolerances are made possible by a novel vehicle floor tray manufacturing method and system. In a first step according to the invention, points on a surface of the vehicle foot well are digitally measured with a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). These points are stored in a computer memory. A foot well surface is generated which includes these points, preferably by connecting linear groups of the points together by using B-splines, and lofting between the B-splines to create areal portions of the foot well surface. Using this typically complex three-dimensional, predominately concave surface, which may have several concavely and convexly curved portions, a corresponding, substantially convex outer or lower floor tray surface is created such that in many regions, the distance between the outer surface of the tray and the surface of the foot well is no more than about one eighth of an inch (0.317 cm), insuring a snug fit.

In one embodiment of the invention, a reservoir is incorporated into the tray floor as a collection and evaporation area for drip water from the feet and legs of the occupant. Combination baffles/treads are provided in the reservoir to impede lateral movement of the collected fluid. Longitudinal and transverse portions of these baffles are joined together. Channels are cut into another portion of the central area of the tray to direct fluid to the reservoir, such that the bottom of the channels is beneath a general tray floor surface but above the bottom of the reservoir. In a preferred driver's side embodiment, the channels are omitted from a portion of the floor tray upper surface to leave a blank space where the driver's heel will rest when operating the gas and brake pedals.

In a second process and system according to the invention, a vehicle foot well surface model is constructed by digitally measuring and storing points on an actual vehicle foot well surface, preferably one which is substantially uncompressed. The digital measurement step preferably is one which does not compress the surface being measured. This foot well surface model is replicated to begin creating a general lower surface of the vehicle floor tray. Within a predetermined reservoir area, the vehicle foot well surface model is downwardly projected by at least 0.050 inch (0.127 cm) and more preferably by about 0.25 inch (0.635 cm) from the general lower surface of the tray in order to create a lower surface of the tray image within the reservoir area. Preferably, and within an adjacent, predetermined channel area, a plurality of elongate, spaced-apart, parallel channels are defined, and these channels are down-projected by a depth which is less than the depth of the reservoir boundary. As so modified, the three-dimensional image of the lower surface of the tray is used to construct a mold. The mold in turn is used to manufacture vehicle floor trays from sheets of thermoplastic material.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compressibility of the vehicle foot well surface (which typically is formed by a carpet pile) is taken advantage of by creating a vehicle floor tray lower surface that, in many places, intentionally is in “negative standoff” with the vehicle floor surface model that it is designed to fit. That is, when an image of the lower surface of the vehicle floor tray is mathematically superimposed onto the vehicle floor surface model in a way that achieves the best fit between the two, some areas of the floor tray lower surface will be above the surface of the vehicle floor surface model, and other areas will be below it. “Negative standoff” is advantageously used in incorporating the reservoir and channels into the design, and may also be used in areas of the tray where a very tight fit with the actual floor surface is desired, such as around the accelerator and brake pedals. The system and method of the invention permit this intentional use of “negative standoff”, while older design methods do not. Since vehicle carpet pile may be nonuniformly and variably compressed from one area to the next, this use of “negative standoff” results in a molded floor tray, with channel and reservoir features, that actually fits better to the vehicle foot well for which it is designed than if this concept is not used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the invention and their advantages can be discerned in the following detailed description, in which like characters denote like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a vehicle floor tray according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the floor tray illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric and transverse sectional view of the floor tray seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the section taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an isometric and longitudinal sectional view of the floor tray shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the section taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the tray illustrated in FIG. 1, taken from the outer side;

FIG. 6 is a highly magnified sectional detail of a vehicle floor tray, showing triextruded layers;

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing steps in a first design and manufacturing process according to the invention; and

FIG. 8 is an isometric and schematic view of a digitally acquired vehicle foot well floor surface from which the illustrated floor tray was made;

FIG. 9 is a partly transverse sectional, partly isometric view of both the floor tray illustrated in FIG. 2 and the vehicle foot well surface illustrated in FIG. 8, taken substantially along line 9-9 of FIG. 2 and substantially along line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partly transverse sectional, partly isometric view of both the floor tray illustrated in FIG. 2 and the vehicle foot well surface illustrated in FIG. 8, taken substantially along line 10-10 of FIG. 2 and substantially along line 10-10 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a detail of a firewall region of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a detail of a seat pedestal region of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a partly longitudinal sectional, partly isometric view of both the floor tray illustrated in FIG. 2 and the vehicle foot well surface illustrated in FIG. 8, taken substantially along line 13-13 of FIG. 2 and substantially along line 13-13 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 is a detail of a kick plate region of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a vehicle floor tray according to the invention, shaded to show regions of the tray where the lower surface of the tray is outside of a first predetermined tolerance with respect to a modeled vehicle foot well surface;

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the floor tray shown in FIG. 15, shown from another point of view;

FIG. 17 is an isometric view of the tray shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, but shaded to show regions of the tray where the tray lower surface is outside of a second predetermined tolerance with respect to the modeled vehicle foot well surface;

FIG. 18 is an isometric view of the tray as shaded in FIG. 17, but from the point of view shown in FIG. 18;

FIG. 19 is a part-isometric, part transverse sectional view taken substantially along Line 19-19 of FIG. 17, superimposed on a like portion of the modeled vehicle foot well surface;

FIG. 20 is a part-isometric, part transverse sectional view taken substantially along Line 20-20 of FIG. 17, superimposed on a like portion of the modeled vehicle foot well surface occurring in the same sectional plane;

FIG. 20A is a detail of FIG. 20;

FIG. 21 is a part-isometric, part-longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along Line 21-21 of FIG. 17, superimposed on a like portion of the modeled vehicle foot well surface;

FIGS. 21A and 21B are details of FIG. 21;

FIG. 22 is a part-isometric, part-longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along Line 22-22 of FIG. 17, superimposed on a like portion of the modeled vehicle foot well surface;

FIG. 22A is a detail of FIG. 22;

FIG. 23 is an isometric view of the vehicle floor tray shown in FIGS. 15-22A, shaded to show those portions of the vehicle floor tray lower surface which are in “negative standoff” relative to the modeled vehicle foot well surface, once the tray lower surface has been best-fit to the model;

FIG. 24 is an isometric view of the vehicle floor tray as shaded in FIG. 23, but taken from the point of view shown in FIG. 16; and

FIG. 25 is a schematic flow diagram of steps in a second design and manufacturing process according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An isometric view of one commercial embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. The illustrated vehicle floor tray indicated generally at 100 is preferably molded from a blank, in sheet form, of water-impervious thermoplastic polymer material having a substantially uniform thickness, although the present invention could be fabricated from another process such as injection molding. The floor tray 100 is preferably formed of a triextruded thermoplastic material such that the properties of a central or core layer can be different than the properties of the external or jacket layers, and such that the triextrusion is tougher and stiffer per unit thickness than any of the layers from which it is made, as will be described in more detail below.

The vehicle floor tray or cover 100 is meant to protect both the floor and at least the lower sides of a vehicle foot well, and thus takes on a much more three-dimensional shape than is typical of prior art floor mats. The floor tray 100 includes a floor or central panel 102, which in the illustrated embodiment includes a plurality of fore-to-aft or longitudinal parallel straight channels 104 that are disposed in a forward region 106 of the floor panel 102. Preferably these channels are about an eighth of an inch (0.317 cm.) deep so that they will correctly channel runoff, and can be about one-quarter of an inch (0.635 cm.) wide. In FIG. 1, forward is a direction to the upper left, while rearward or aft is the direction to the lower right, and the terms are used in conformance with the orientation of the vehicle in which the tray is designed to be placed. As used herein, “longitudinal” means for-and-aft or along the axis of vehicle travel, while “transverse” means at a ninety degree angle to such an axis, or side-to-side.

A rearward, aft or back region 108 of the floor panel 102 is largely occupied by a reservoir 110, whose bottom is made up (in this embodiment) by a substantially planar general surface 112. General surface 112 is situated to be below a general surface 114 of the forward region 106. Preferably, the general bottom reservoir surface 112 is also below the bottommost points of the respective channels 104, as by about one-eighth of an inch (0.317 cm), so that fluid in the channels 104 will empty into the reservoir 110.

The channels 104 are designed to channel liquid runoff from the user's feet or footwear to the reservoir 110. In many vehicles, the portion of the vehicle floor (not shown in this Figure; see FIGS. 8-11) which underlies the forward region 106 slopes from front to rear, and thus the tray 100, by simply conforming to the contour of the underlying vehicle floor portion, will channel fluid to the reservoir. For those vehicle designs in which the underlying vehicle floor is not pitched in this manner, the tray 100 can advantageously be designed to create this fluid flow, as by making the material thicker in portion 106 than in portion 108, or by giving the bottoms of channels 104 a front-to-rear slope.

The channels 104 occupy most of the forward region 106, although in this and other commercial driver's side embodiments a space 116 on the forward right hand side has been left open to receive the foot of the driver that operates the accelerator and brake pedals. In the illustrated embodiment, this space or clear area 116 is a delimited by a 180 degree arc of a circle of about four inch radius (shown in dashed line). The clear area 116 is provided so that the relatively deep channels 104 do not catch the heel of the driver's shoe. In other embodiments, the clear area 116 can take other shapes or positions, so long as the heels of almost all drivers, while operating the brake and accelerator pedals of the vehicle for which the particular tray is designed, will rest within its confines.

The reservoir 110 has interspersed within it a plurality of tread surfaces or baffles 118, which have two purposes. The first purpose is to elevate the shoe or foot of the occupant above any fluid which may have collected in the reservoir 110. The second purpose is to prevent this accumulated fluid from sloshing around. To this end, most of the tread surfaces/baffles 118 have both fore-to-aft or longitudinal portions 120 and side-to-side or transverse portions 122. This prevents large fluid movement in a forward or rearward direction, as would otherwise happen during acceleration or braking of the vehicle, and also large fluid movement side-to-side, as would otherwise happen when the vehicle is turning. Preferably, each or at least most of the fore-to-aft portions 120 are joined to respective side-to-side portions. This further compartmentalizes and restricts the movement of collected fluid. Fluid in one portion of the reservoir 110 may make its way only slowly and through a complicated path to another distant portion of the reservoir 110, through channels 124 around the ends of the treads or baffles 118. The reservoir design thus creates a large surface area which promotes evaporation of the fluid, while at the same time restricts fluid movement prior to such evaporation.

Disposed around and integrally formed with the central or floor panel 102 are a series of upstanding side panels, which will vary in number and configuration from one vehicle model to the next. In this illustrated embodiment these upstanding panels include a back panel 130 that is disposed adjacent the bottom of a vehicle front seat, or a vehicle pedestal for receiving same; an inner side panel 132 that closely fits a transmission tunnel or “hump” in this vehicle; a forward panel 134 that closely conforms to a vehicle firewall; and an outer side panel 136. In most embodiments, the outer side panel or kick plate panel 136 will only extend from its transition with transitions into a door sill panel 140. Unlike the other panels, the sill panel 140 is not generally upstanding but instead conforms to the sill of a vehicle door and lies in a substantially horizontal plane. In this way occupant ingress and egress is not occluded. In many embodiments, including the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-14, the sill panel 140 is at an elevation below that of the general surface 114 of the floor forward region 106 and even below the general surface (bottom) 112 of the reservoir 110. Very large amounts of fluid (in excess of the reservoir capacity) will therefore flow right out of the vehicle without having the opportunity to damage the vehicle interior. It should be noted that in these FIGUREs, the lines dividing the panels are conceptual only and do not appear in the final part. As will be described in further detail below, the tray 100 preferably is integrally molded as a one-piece construction.

In one important aspect of the invention, the tray 100 is closely fitted to the vehicle foot well in which it is designed to be placed. Panels 130, 132, 134, 136 and 140 are all formed so as to as closely conform to the vehicle surfaces against which they are positioned, to an extent not found in prior art vehicle floor trays. In a preferred embodiment, at least throughout the top one-third of the areas of these panels that is adjacent a vehicle tray top margin 150, at least ninety percent of the points on the outer surface of the peripheral or side panels 130-136 are no more than about one-eighth of an inch (0.317 cm) from the corresponding points on the surfaces that they are formed to mate with. This close conformance occurs even where the underlying vehicular surface is complexly curved or angled. Certain portions of the vehicle foot well surface, such as kick plate transition plate 214, can have both convexly and concavely curved elements. The preferred tolerance of door sill curve 208 and sill plate 140 is even tighter, about 0.025 in. (0.064 cm).

The close conformance of the tray side panels to respective surfaces of the vehicle foot well produces a protective tray which will not be horizontally displaced under lateral forces created by the occupant's feet, or by the motion of the vehicle. Opposing pairs of the peripheral panels “nest” or “cage” the tray 100, preventing its lateral movement. Thus, outer side panel or kick plate panel 136, which closely conforms to a vehicle side wall at that position, has as its counterpart a portion 142 of the inner side panel 132. Any tendency of the tray 100 to shift leftward is stopped by panel 136; any tendency of the tray 100 to shift rightward is stopped by panel portion 142. In a similar manner, the upstanding rearward and forward panels 130 and 134 cooperate to “cage” any forward or rearward motion of the tray 100 within the vehicle foot well.

The close conformance of the outer or lower surfaces of panels 130-136, 218, 140 to their respective mating surfaces of the vehicle foot well also increases the frictional force which will oppose any lateral movement. The result of this close conformance is to provide a floor tray which will not undesirably shift position, and which will provide a steady and sure rest to the feet of the occupants.

In most commercial embodiments of the vehicle floor tray 100, the side panels 130-136, 140 will not be formed to abruptly extend from the bottom panel 102, but rather will be joined to the bottom or central panel 102 through transitions. These transitions may be sloped or curved and will have a varying degree of gradualness. According to the invention, the transitions between the outer and bottom surfaces of the tray 100 conform wherever possible to underlying surfaces of the vehicle foot adjacent these transitions.

In FIG. 2, for example, there is seen a large transition or subpanel 200 which extends from forward portion 106. A further subpanel 202 joins transitional subpanel 202 to the forward sidewall 134. Inner or transmission tunnel sidewall 132 is joined to the pan 102 through a curved transitional fillet 204. The rear upstanding panel 130 is joined to the rear portion of bottom panel 102 through a small transition 206. A transition or sill curve 208 between the outer sidewall 136 and the sill panel 140 takes the form of a gradual curved surface.

The present invention also employs (typically) curved transitions between adjacent side panels. For example, a curved transition 210 joins the back panel 130 to the inner side panel 132. A curved transition 212 joins the transmission tunnel or inner side panel 132 to the front or firewall panel 134. A transition 214, which in the illustrated embodiment takes the shape of an S-curve and conforms to a portion of the vehicle wheel well, joins the front panel 134 to the outer side panel 136. The close conformance (preferably to a tolerance of about ⅛ in. or 0.317 cm) wherever possible to the transitions of the vehicle foot well surface by the outer surface of the tray 100 enhances a close fit.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tray according to the invention has been made by heating a sheet of substantially uniformly thick triextruded thermoplastic material until soft and then sucking the softened sheet into a female mold upon application of a vacuum. When this process is used, discrete layers having different characteristics can persist into the final product, as will be described in more detail below. On the other hand, as using this manufacturing process it is difficult to provide the channels and reservoir structure according to one aspect of the invention while closely conforming the bottom surface 300 (FIGS. 3 and 4) to a mating surface of the vehicle foot well. In this central area, and according to a first manufacturing process, a departure away from ⅛ in. (0.317 cm) tolerance is made in order to obtain the above-described benefits of fluid flow and retention. But because the side panels 130-136, 140 and their associated transitions continue to closely conform to most of the remaining vehicle foot well surfaces, the tray 100 continues to be locked in one place.

FIGS. 9-14 superimpose a floor tray 100 on a surface 802 of a vehicle foot well for which the tray is designed according to the invention. In the part-isometric, part-longitudinal sectional view seen in FIG. 10, It can be seen that on the section taken there is a quite tight conformance of the lower surface 300 of the tray 100 to the modeled surface 802 of the vehicle foot well. As best seen in FIG. 11, the outer surface of the firewall sidewall 134 stays within one-eighth of an inch (0.317 cm) of the firewall surface 826 for at least three-quarters of the length of surface 826 as measured from the top margin 150 of the tray. In areas 1000, 1002 and 1004 (FIG. 10), the modeled surface 802 of the vehicle foot well is actually above or to the interior to the tray 100. This negative interference or standoff is tolerable and in some instances is even desirable because in most applications the surface 802 is that of a vehicle carpet, which can or even should be selectively depressed upon the installation of the tray 100 into the vehicle foot well. Such a tight fit is particularly desirable, for example, in the region of the tray around the accelerator pedal.

FIG. 12 is a detail of FIG. 10 in the area of the seat pedestal and a portion of the reservoir 110. Once again, there is a very tight conformance of the outer surface of the back panel 130 to the modeled seat pedestal surface 828 throughout most of its length on this section, well within ⅛ inch (0.317 cm)

FIG. 13 shows a side-to-side or transverse section taken in a relatively forward location, so as to cut through the kick plate tray and foot well surfaces 136, 830 on one side and the tray and foot well transmission tunnel surfaces 132, 810 on the other. As can be seen, tolerance to within ⅛ of an inch (0.317 cm) is maintained at least for the upper one-third of the surface area of these mating surfaces. Areas 1000, 1002 (partially represented in FIG. 13) and 1006 are areas of negative standoff or interference in which the modeled surface 802 of the vehicle foot well is positioned interiorly of the outer or lower surface of the vehicle tray 100. As above explained, this mismatch is permissible particularly if held to ⅛ inch (0.317cm) or less, and is even desirable in some points, because the model surface 802 is an image of vehicle carpeting rather than a hard surface.

In FIG. 14, there is seen at 1400 an intentional increase of radius of the transition between kick plate panel 136 and bottom wall 102. This is done because, for the model shown, the foot well kick plate surface 830 is both vertical and is relatively deep. Therefore, sidewall 136 needs to have a draft of at least two degrees (and more preferably five degrees) relative to the vertical surface 830 to insure that the wall of the tray 100 as molded will remain acceptably thick enough at the junction of walls 136, 102. The increase of the radius 1400 accomplishes this. Nonetheless, even on this section the outer surface of the kick plate 136 stays within one-eighth of an inch (0.317 cm) of the kick plate surface 830 for at least one-third of the length, as measured from top margin 150.

More generally, at least about ninety percent of that top one-third of the surface area of each sidewall 130-136 that is adjacent the top margin 150 stays within ⅛ in. (0.317 cm) of the vehicle foot well surfaces with which they are designed to mate. Alternatively, about ninety percent or more of the top one-half of the outer surface area of all upstanding sidewalls is within this ⅛ inch (0.317 cm) tolerance of respective foot well surfaces. In even a further alternative measurement of tolerance, it is preferred that at least about fifty percent of the outer area of the upstanding sidewalls 130-136 be within ⅛ inch (0.317 cm) of the vehicle foot wells to which they correspond, regardless of position relative to the top margin 150.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and 10, a top margin 150 of the tray 100, which terminates all of the upstanding sidewalls 130, 132, 134, 136 and 138, substantially lies in a single plane which is tilted forwardly upwardly relative to the horizontal plane. The continuous nature of the top margin 150 means that the produced tray 100 has a higher hoop strength, and better protects the vehicle carpeting from dirt or mud on the sides of the occupant's feet. The occupant's feet tend to occupy positions on the forward region 106, but the position of the top margin 150 around this region is high, being at least four inches (10.1 cm) and in some embodiments five inches (12.7 cm) removed from the floor of the tray at its greatest separation.

COMPOSITION

According to one aspect of the invention, it is preferred that the tray or cover 100 not be of uniform composition throughout, but rather be a laminate having at least three layers which are bonded together. A preferred composition of the tray 100 is shown in the highly magnified sectional detail shown in FIG. 6. In this illustrated embodiment, the tray 100 consists of a top layer 600, a central or core layer 602, and a bottom layer 604. All three layers 600-604 preferably consist of one or more water-impervious thermoplastic polymers, but layers 600 and 604 have properties which are at least different from those of core layer 602 and may even have properties which are different from each other. The trilayer cover is shown to be a three-dimensional floor tray in the drawings, but can also be a more two-dimensional floor mat of more limited coverage. Top layer 600 is made from a material selected for its tactile properties, its relatively high static and dynamic coefficients of friction with respect to typical footwear, and its resistance to chemical attack from road salt and other substances into which it may come into contact. Top layer 600 preferably includes a major portion of a thermoplastic elastomer such as VYRAM®, SANTOPRENE® or GEOLAST®, which are proprietary compositions available from Advanced Elastomer Systems. VYRAM® is preferred, particularly Grade 101-75 (indicating a Shore A hardness of 75). An upper surface 606 of the top layer 600 may be textured by a “haircell” pattern or the like so as to provide a pleasing tactile feel and visual appearance, as may a lower surface of the bottom layer 604.

It is preferred that top layer 600 be a polymer blend, in which instance a minor portion of the composition of the top layer 600 is selected for its coextrusion compatibility with core layer 602. A polyolefin polymer is preferred, such as polypropylene or more preferably polyethylene, even more particularly a high molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE). As used herein, HMPE is defined to mean a commodity product, available from many sources, and distinguished in the industry from low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) by its approximate properties: Characteristic LDPE HDPE HMPE Specific Gravity, ASTM 0.918 0.96 0.95 D-792 Tensile Modulus, ASTM 22,500 95,000 125,000 D-638, psi Tensile Strength @ 1,800 4,500 3,600-3,700 Yield, ASTM D-638, psi Flexural Modulus, 225,000 165,000-175,000 ASTM D-790, psi Hardness, ASTM 45 66 68 D-2240, Shore D

In the above table, the testing methods by which the properties are determined are given for the purpose of reproducibility.

Particularly where the thermoplastic elastomer and the polyolefin are respectively selected as VYRAM® and HMPE, the proportion by weight of the thermoplastic elastomer to polyolefin material in layer 600 is preferably selected to be about 3:1. It has been discovered that some polyolefin material needs to be present in layer 600 for coextrusion compatibility with central layer 602, in the instance where a major portion of the layer 602 is also a polyolefin.

In an alternative embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer component of the top layer 600 may be replaced with an elastomer such as natural rubber, acryl-nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), or ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM).

In a further alternative embodiment, layer 600 can be an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blend. ABS is a material in which submicroscopic particles of polybutadiene are dispersed in a phase of styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymer. For layer 600, the percentage by weight of polybutadiene, which lends elastomeric properties to the material, should be chosen as relatively high.

The core or central layer 602 preferably is composed of a thermoplastic polymer material that is selected for its toughness, stiffness and inexpensiveness rather than its tactile or frictional properties. Preferably a major portion of it is a polyolefin such as polypropylene or polyethylene. More preferably, a major portion of the layer 602 is composed of HMPE as that material has been defined above.

It is preferred that the central layer 602 be a blend, and in that instance a minor portion of layer 602 is composed of a material selected for its coextrusion compatibility with top layer 600 (and bottom layer 604 described below). In the illustrated embodiment, this minor portion is a thermoplastic elastomer such as SANTOPRENE®, GEOLAST® or VYRAM®. VYRAM® Grade 101-75 is particularly preferred. For layer 602, and particularly where the polyolefin and the thermoplastic elastomer are respectively selected as HMPE and VYRAM®, the proportion by weight of polyolefin to thermoplastic elastomer is preferred to be about 3:1. More generally, the percentages of the minor portions in layers 600 and 602 (and layer 604) are selected as being the minimum necessary for good coextrusion compatiblity.

In an alternative embodiment, where layer 600 has been chosen as a polybutadiene-rich layer of ABS, layer 602 is chosen as a grade of ABS having less of a percentage by weight of polybutadiene in it, or none at all (effectively, styrene acrylonitrile copolymer or SAN).

Bottom layer 604 has a lower surface 300 which will be adjacent the vehicle foot well top surface. Typically, this surface is carpeted. The bottom layer 604 is a thermoplastic polymer material selected for its wear characteristics, as well as its sound-deadening qualities and a yieldability that allows the layer 604 to better grip “hard points” in the vehicle foot well surface as well as conform to foot well surface irregularities. Preferably, a major portion of the layer 604 is composed of a thermoplastic elastomer, such as SANTOPRENE®, GEOLAST® or, preferably, VYRAM®. VYRAM® Grade 101-75 is particularly preferred.

It is preferred that the bottom layer 604 be a polymer blend. In this instance, a minor portion of the bottom layer 604 is selected for its coextrusion compatibility with the core layer 602. Where core layer 602 is mostly made of a polyolefin material, it is preferred that a polyolefin be used as the minor portion of the bottom layer 604. This polyolefin can be, for example, polypropylene or polyethylene, and preferably is HMPE. The amount of the minor portion is selected to be that minimum amount that assures good coextrusion compatibility. Where the polyolefin and the thermoplastic elastomer are respectively chosen to be HMPE and VYRAM®, it has been found that the thermoplastic elastomer: polyolefin ratio by weight in the layer 604 should be about 3:1.

In an alternative embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer component of layer 604 may be replaced with a rubber, such as natural rubber, NBR, SBR or EPDM.

In another alternative embodiment, where the central layer 602 has been selected as ABS or SAN, layer 604 can be selected as a grade of ABS which has a higher percentage by weight of polybutadiene in it than in central layer 602.

Bottom jacketing layer 604 conveniently can have the same composition as top jacketing layer 600, but the two jacketing layers do not have to be similar. What is important is that, where the tray 100 is to be formed as a triextrusion (as is preferred), layers 600, 602 and 604 be sufficiently compatible that they can be triextruded as a single sheet.

It is preferred that most of the thickness of the tray 100 be made up by the core layer 602, which is used as the principal structural component of the tray 100. The core layer 602 has at least minimally acceptable tensile strength, shear strength and high flexural modulus, while at the same time being significantly less expensive than the thermoplastic elastomer-dominated jacketing layers 600, 604. The jacketing layers 600 and 604 are selected to present good wear surfaces and to have a good resistance to chemical attack from substances such as road salt. Top layer 600 is selected to exhibit a relatively high coefficient of friction with respect to typical occupant footwear. The composition of bottom layer 604 is selected for its sound-deadening and yieldability qualities.

The total thickness of tray 100 is the sum of dimensions a, b and c. In the illustrated embodiment, jacketing layer thicknesses a and c are each about 12.5% of the total thickness, while core layer thickness b is about 75%. In one embodiment, the total thickness of the tray 100 (or, more precisely, of the blank sheet used to mold the tray 100) is approximately 0.120 inch (0.305 cm). Of this, core layer 602 is about 0.09 inch (0.23 cm), while jacketing layers 600 and 604 are each about 0.0150 inch (0.038 cm). In an alternative embodiment, the layer 600 can be made to be appreciably thicker than layer 604, as top surface 606 is a wear surface for the shoes of the occupant and will see more abrasive dirt and more wear than surface 300 in typical applications. In another alternative embodiment, the thickness of layer 604 may be increased, allowing it to even better conform to the vehicle foot well surface with which it is designed to mate and to increase sound-deadening.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention combines the high coefficient of friction, tactile qualities, sound-deadening and yieldability obtainable with a thermoplastic elastomer with the modest cost of a polyolefin. To demonstrate the technical advantages of a triextrusion tray over monoextruded prior art structures, tests measuring tensile strength, shear strength, flexural modulus and coefficient of friction were performed on (1) a triextrusion sheet material made and used according to the invention, (2) a monoextruded sheet of 75 wt. pct. VYRAM®/25 wt. pct. HMPE, and (3) a monoextruded sheet of 25 wt. pct. VYRAM®/75 wt. pct. HMPE. The particular tests and their results are described below.

The first two tests performed concern static and dynamic coefficients of friction.

EXAMPLE 1

These tests determined static and kinetic coefficients of friction of a sheet of triextrusion material with respect to an object meant to emulate an typical occupant shoe outsole. This “shoe” was composed of Shore A Durometer 60 neoprene rubber, formed as a “sled” measuring 2.5 in. (6.35 cm)×2.5 in. (6.35 cm)×0.238 in. (0.605 cm). The “shoes” were drawn across an upper, textured surface of a 0.120 in. (0.305 cm) triextrusion sheet formed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and measuring 4 in. (10.2 cm)×12 in. (30.5 cm), the test performed according to the procedure set forth in ASTM D 1894-01. The triextrusion sheet had, as its top layer, a blend of 75 wt. pct. VYRAM® Grade 101-75/25 wt. pct. HMPE. The core layer was 75 wt. pct. HMPE/25 wt. pct. VYRAM® Grade 101-75. The bottom layer was a blend of 25 wt. pct. HMPE/75 wt. pct. VYRAM® Grade 101-75. The bottom and top layers each comprised about 12.5% of the sheet thickness while the middle core layer comprised about 75% of the sheet thickness. Results are tabulated as follows. Sled Static Sled Kinetic Test Weight Coefficient Kinetic Weight Coefficient Number Static Load (g) (g) of Friction Load (g) (g) of Friction 1 166 199.9 0.830 189 199.9 0.945 2 155 199.9 0.775 166 199.9 0.830 3 171 200.0 0.855 179 200.0 0.895 4 145 199.9 0.725 160 199.9 0.800 5 150 199.9 0.750 163 199.9 0.815 Average 0.787 0.857 Std. Dev. 0.054 0.061

EXAMPLE 2

Five neoprene rubber “sleds” fabricated as above were drawn across a 4 in. (10.1 cm)×12 in. (30.5 cm) sheet of a single-extrusion 75 wt. pct. HMPE/25 wt. pct. VYRAM® Grade 101-75, according to ASTM D 1894-01. Results are tabulated below. Sled Static Kinetic Sled Kinetic Weight Coefficient Load Weight Coefficient Test Number Static Load (g) (g) of Friction (g) (g) of Friction 1 157 200.1 0.785 162 200.1 0.810 2 151 200.0 0.755 148 200.0 0.740 3 163 200.1 0.815 170 200.0 0.850 4 146 200.1 0.730 148 200.1 0.740 5 154 200.1 0.770 155 200.1 0.775 Average 0.771 0.783 Std. Dev. 0.032 0.047

The above tests show that with respect to a typical shoe sole composition, a material consisting mostly of a thermoplastic elastomer like VYRAM® exhibits a higher coefficient of friction than a material consisting mostly of a high molecular weight polyolefin.

EXAMPLE 3

These tests compared the tensile strength of a sheet of triextruded material as above described with a sheet of single-extruded blend of material consisting of 75 wt. pct. VYRAM®, Grade 101-75, and 25 wt. pct. HMPE, and further with a sheet of a single-extruded blend of material of 75 wt. pct. HMPE and 25 wt. pct. VYRAM® Grade 101-75. The tested single-extruded VYRAM®-dominated sheet was approximately 0.070 in. (0.178 cm) thick, while the HMPE-dominated sheet was approximately 0.137 in. (0.348 cm) thick. The triextrusion sheet was about 0.120 in. (0.305 cm) thick. The triextrusion sheet, the single-extruded VYRAM®-dominated sheet and the single-extruded HMPE-dominated sheet were die-cut into samples having an average width of 0.250″0.635 cm). The test performed was according to the ASTM D 638-03 testing standard. A cross-head speed of 20 in. (50.8 cm)/min. was used. The extensiometer was set at 1000% based on 1.0″(2.54 cm) gauge length.

Samples were conditioned at 40 hours at 23 Celsius and 50% relative humidity prior to testing at these conditions. Test results are tabulated below. Tensile Tensile Stress Tensile Strength Elongation at Elongation Modulus at at Yield Break at Break (Youngs) Test Number Yield (psi) (%) (psi) (%) (psi) Tri-Extrusion 1 1680 24 1530 730 30800 2 1710 21 1610 710 30100 3 1700 21 1620 730 32200 4 1740 19 1660 770 32700 5 1690 17 1630 700 24400 Average 1700 20 1610 730 30000 Std.Dev. 23 3 48 27 3320 75% Vyram/ 1 1040 53 1400 620 15900 25% HMPE 2 1010 45 1430 630 17100 3 1050 98 1390 640 17100 4 1010 62 1430 620 16700 5 1030 88 1420 610 17100 Average 1030 69 1410 620 16800 Std.Dev. 18 23 18 11 522 75% HMPE/ 1 919 63 1130 630 30200 25% Vyram 2 914 61 1110 630 34100 3 925 69 1120 650 29500 4 910 67 1110 650 21500 5 912 68 1140 700 24000 Average 916 66 1120 650 27900 Std.Dev. 6 3 13 29 5060

The above data demonstrate that a triextrusion material according to the invention exhibits markedly greater tensile strength than a thermoplastic elastomer-dominated single-extrusion material. Also of interest is that the three-layer laminate exhibited a higher strength at yield and stress at break than the HMPE-dominated material, while showing a comparable tensile Young's modulus.

EXAMPLE 4

Tests were performed on the above three materials for shear strength according to Test Standard ASTM D732-02. In these tests, a 1.00 in. (2.54 cm) dia. punch was applied to a 2.0 inch (5.08 cm) square of material until shear was achieved. The crosshead moved at 0.05 in (0.127 cm)/min. The test samples were preconditioned for at least 40 hours at 23 Celsius and 50% relative humidity, which were the conditions under which the tests were performed. Test results are tabulated below. Thickness Shear Force Shear Sample Name Test Number (in.) (lbf) Strength (psi) Tri-Extrusion 1 0.119 747 2000 2 0.122 783 2040 3 0.119 747 2000 4 0.121 757 1990 5 0.117 734 2000 Average 754 2010 Std. Dev. 18 19 75% 1 0.072 423 1870 VYRAM/ 25% HMPE 2 0.070 416 1890 3 0.073 489 2130 4 0.072 481 2130 5 0.073 455 1980 Average 453 2000 Std. Dev. 33 126 75% HMPE/ 1 0.135 680 1600 25% VYRAM 2 0.137 688 1600 3 0.134 687 1630 4 0.136 724 1690 5 0.137 687 1600 Average 693 1620 Std. Dev. 18 39

The above test data show that, as normalized for the different thicknesses tested, the triextrusion material is similar in shear strength to the 75%VYRAM/25% HMPE single-extrusion blend, and superior in shear strength to the 75%HMPE/25%VYRAM® single-extrusion blend.

EXAMPLE 5

Tests were performed to determine the flexural properties of samples of a tri-extrusion material of the above-described formulation, a 75 wt. pct. Vyram/25 wt. pct. HMPE material, and a 75 wt. pct. HMPE/25wt. pct. VYRAM material (in all tests. the thermoplastic elastomer used was VYRAM® Grade 101-75). The tests were performed according to the ASTM D790-03 test method, Method I, Procedure A. For the tri-extrusion the dimensions of the samples averaged 0.490″(1.24 cm)×0.119″(0.302 cm)×5.00″(12.70 cm), the span length was 1.904 in. (4.836 cm), and the cross-head speed was 0.051 in. (0.13 cm)/min. For the 75%Vyram/25%HMPE material, the dimensions of the samples averaged 0.484″(1.23 cm)×0.072″(0.18 cm)×5.00″(12.70 cm), the span length was 1.152 in. (2.926 cm), and the cross-head speed was 0.031 in. (0.078 cm)/min. For the 75%HMPE/25%Vyram material, the dimensions of the samples averaged 0.50″(1.27 cm)×0.138″(0.350 cm)×5.00″(12.70 cm), the span length was 2.208 in. (5.608 cm), and the cross-head speed was 0.059 in (0.150 cm.)/min. In all tests, the span-to-depth ratio was 16+/−1:1, the radius of the supports was 0.197 in. (0.500 cm), and the radius of the loading nose was 0.197 in. (0.500 cm) The tests were performed at 23 Celsius and 50% relative humidity and the samples conditioned for 40 hours at this temperature and humidity before the tests were performed. Results are tabulated below. Flexural Stress At 5% Deflection Flexural Modulus Sample Name Test Number (psi) (tangent*)(psi) Triextrusion 1 294 33400 2 317 36000 3 304 33500 4 318 35700 5 305 33200 Average 308 34400 Std. Dev. 75% Vyram/ 1 234 15400 25% HMPE 2 238 16400 3 230 14500 4 225 14300 5 228 14300 Average 231 15000 Std. Dev. 5 915 75% HMPE/ 1 508 13000 25% Vyram 2 505 13800 3 496 13100 4 497 12900 5 518 13800 Average 505 13300 Std. Dev. 9 444

The asterisk in the table indicates that the reported values were arrived at by computer generated curve fit. These data show that the triextrusion is significantly stiffer than either monoextruded sheet. Overall, the triextrusion demonstrates superior properties in terms of tensile strength and stiffness per unit cross-sectional area in comparison with that of any of the layers of materials from which the laminate is made, demonstrating that a triextruded tray or mat will be tougher and stiffer than one made of either monoextruded blend by itself.

PROCESS

FIGS. 7 and 8 provide an overview of a first process for making the vehicle floor trays or covers according to the invention. The vehicle floor trays and covers are custom-fabricated for discrete vehicle models. At step 700, points on the vehicle foot well for which the floor tray is to be manufactured are digitally measured and captured. Preferably this step uses a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) which records each of a large plurality of points on the surface of the vehicle foot well to which the floor tray is to be fitted. The inventor has found that a FARO® Arm has been efficacious in obtaining these data using a contact method. It has been found that laying out points in linear groups, as by marking the locations to be measured on tape prior to measurement, is efficacious in capturing enough data points to later recreate the surface of which they are a part.

The data thus collected are stored in a file. The points of surface data are spaced from each other as a function of the complexity of the surface on which they reside. Few points of data are needed to establish large surface planes. More points of data are used in defining curved surfaces, with the density of data points varying according to the sharpness of the curve. In FIG. 8, representative ones of these points are shown by small “x”s at 800, on a surface 802 that is reconstituted or modeled using the technique described immediately below. A typical data file will contain about a thousand points, spread over an imaged foot well surface area of about ten square feet (one m²).

The CMM data file is imported into a CAD program, which is used by a designer to reconstitute a vehicle foot well surface from the captured points. First, at step 701 different “lines” of these points are connected together by B-splines 804. The splines 804, which the CAD program can automatically generate, are used to estimate all of the points on the line other than the captured data points of that line. The splines 804 are separated apart from each other as a function of the topographical complexity of the portion of the surface that they cover. For large flat areas, such as sill plate 806, the splines 804 may be far apart, as a plane between the splines is a good estimate of the surface in that area. For complex or tightly curved areas, such as sill curve 832 or kick plate transitional area 833, the splines 804 are tightly packed together because the surface segments have to be small in order to reproduce those curved surfaces of the foot well with acceptable accuracy.

Once the splines 804 have been assembled, the designer lofts an area between each pair of parallel splines 804 in order to create different areal segments 808. The “lofting” process proceeds along each of the major surfaces of the part, piecewise, until that surface is entirely recreated. For example, a transmission tunnel sidewall surface 810 is recreated by lofting an area 812 between a spline 814 to an adjacent spline 816 along the same surface. The designer then lofts the next area 818 from spline 816 to spline 820. Next, an area 822 from spline 820 to spline 824 is added, and so forth down the rest of the transmission tunnel surface 810 until that entire component of the vehicle foot well surface has been created. In similar fashion, the other major surfaces are added: a combination firewall/floor area segment 826, a pedestal sidewall 828, a kick plate segment 830, a sill plate curve 832 and the sill plate 806.

The resultant reconstructed vehicle foot well surface 802 is used, at steps 703-707, 709, 711, to construct a vehicle floor tray that fits the surface 802 to an enhanced degree of precision. At step 703, the designer chooses top and bottom sketch planes, which intersect the surface 802 at the top and bottom elevations of the tray to be designed. A top sketch plane intersects surface 802 at a locus high up on the sidewalls 810, 828, 830, 832 and 834. This locus is seen in FIG. 1 as a top margin 150 of the upstanding sidewalls 130, 132, 134, 136 and the transitions between them. In the preferred embodiment, the top sketch plane is tilted and inclines upward in a forward direction. This produces a tray which is deeper near the firewall than it is near the seat, preferably producing a tray that is at least four inches (10.1 cm) and in some embodiments five inches (12.7 cm) deep at its deepest part. This protects the foot well carpet from the possibly muddy sides of an occupant's shoes or boots. A bottom sketch plane is defined to be coplanar with the bottom surface tray sill plate 140, spaced from the vehicle foot well sill plate 806 by a tight tolerance, such as 0.025″(0.064 cm). This bottom sketch plane does not intersect the remainder of the structure but is instead projected upward onto the vehicle foot well surface to create a locus that approximates the marginal outline of the floor/firewall segment 826.

At step 704, sidewalls are drawn in to span the top and bottom sketch planes. These prototypical sidewalls are created by first drawing a plurality of straight lines, each drawn from a point on the upper sketch plane locus to a point on the lower sketch plane locus. Since the upper sketch plane is more extensive and has a different shape from the lower sketch plane, the lateral margins of the upper and lower sketch planes are not congruent, and the straight lines drawn from the upper sketch plane may be canted at various angles to each other. In general, these lines will slope inwardly from the top sketch plane to the bottom sketch plane. The areas in between these lines can be lofted to create polygonal surfaces of a completed tray solid.

The resultant solid has a planar top surface, nearly planar bottom surface and sidewalls which make abrupt corners with them. The actual transitions between the vehicle foot well sidewall surfaces and the floor are almost always curved, to a greater or lesser extent depending on the area in question and on the vehicle model. Therefore, at step 705, curves are fitted to the reconstructed vehicle foot well surface and these curves are substituted in for the previous abrupt angular shapes. The largest of these curves occurs across the firewall 834, to conform to that sloping and typically curved surface rather than to a horizontal extension of the bottom sketch plane. Curves are also used to modify the transitions between the floor 102 and the transmission tunnel surface 132, the kick plate 136, and the seat pedestal sidewall 130.

The above techniques aim to approximate, as closely as possible, the shape of the upstanding sidewalls 810, 828, 830 and 834, to a zero standoff from the foot well surface. In some instances, the outer surface of the tray 100 may actually extend slightly beyond the imaged side walls of the vehicle foot well (see portions 1000-1006 in FIGS. 10-14), creating a negative standoff. This is permissible to some degree because the surface to which the tray is being shaped is carpeted and the pile may be intentionally depressed at certain points.

The door sill 806 and the sill curve 832 typically are hard surfaces that must comply to close manufacturer tolerances. A vehicle door is designed to mate with these surfaces. Because of this it is important to match these surfaces carefully, and preferably this is done in this process to a preselected standoff of 0.025 inch (0.064 cm).

At step 704, and for certain vehicle models, certain radii of the transitional surfaces are increased, in an intentional departure from the foot well surface. This is done, for example, where the curved transition is one from a deep vertical surface to the floor, as might occur between a vertical kick plate and firewall surface segments 836, 838. See transition 1400 in FIG. 14. This is done to make sure that the preferred vacuum molding process, which uses a female tool, does not create a thin place in the molded part at the deep corners. Where the sidewall surfaces are sloped inward by more than five degrees, such radiusing is unnecessary.

At step 707, which can be before, during or after steps 704 and 705, the tray solid is additionally modified to take into account irregularities in the reconstructed foot well surface. For example, the vehicle carpeting might have had rolls or wrinkles in it that should not be reproduced in a tray meant to fit the vehicle. This step also smoothes out those surface irregularities which are artifacts of the surface acquisition and reconstruction steps 700-702.

Once a basic shape for the vehicle floor tray has been formed, it is modified at 709 in order to create the reservoir 110 and channels 104 (See FIGS. 1-4). This modification is necessary because, as has been explained, while there is a close conformance or mating between most of the exterior or lower surfaces of the floor tray on the one hand to the upper or interior surfaces of the vehicle foot well surfaces on the other, in this embodiment there must be a departure from this close conformance in order to create the profile needed by the reservoir and channels. In a preferred embodiment, a predetermined file containing the outer surface of the reservoir and channel surface is integrated into the floor of the tray solid. The importation of this design into the floor of the tray solid will cause a departure from the imaged vehicle surface floor of as much as ¼ inch (0.64 cm) in the areas around the reservoir periphery. This departure decreases as a function of distance from the imported pattern. The produced vehicle floor tray will nonetheless fit tightly to the vehicle foot well, because (1) the floor carpeting will be depressed to a greater extent under the reservoir than in peripheral areas (see, e.g., region 1004 in FIG. 10), and (2) the upstanding sidewalls continue to closely conform to the corresponding surfaces of the vehicle foot well.

At step 711, and for the purpose of generating the SLA model or prototype as discussed below, the tray solid developed at steps 703-707, 709 is “shelled”. This means that the solid is carved out to leave a thin layer that is a uniform thickness (preferably about 0,120-0.125 in.) from the outer surface.

The result is a tray data file 708 that is a complete representation of both the upper and lower surfaces of the floor tray, to a precision sufficient to create only a ⅛ in. (0.317 cm) departure or less from a large portion of the respective surfaces of the vehicle foot well. This data file, typically as translated into a .stl format that approximates surfaces with a large plurality of small triangles, is used at 710 to command a stereolithographic apparatus (SLA). The SLA creates a solid plastic image, model or prototype of the design by selectively curing liquid photopolymer using a laser. The SLA prototype is used to determine fit to an actual vehicle foot well and to make any necessary adjustments.

As modified with experience gained from fitting the SLA prototype, at 712 the unshelled vehicle tray data file (defining only a lower or outer surface of the floor tray) is used to make a commercial female vacuum mold for producing the vehicle floor trays or covers. Triextruded sheets or blanks 714 are placed in the mold and heated to produce the vehicle floor trays at 716.

Three-dimensional vehicle floor trays for many different vehicle models can be quickly and accurately manufactured using this method. The method can also be modified to produce double trays, in which a single tray is provided which covers both driver and passenger vehicle foot wells as well as the intervening transmission tunnel. The technique can be used to create other vehicle floor covers as well, such as second-row trays and the liners used in the cargo areas of minivans and SUVs.

FIGS. 15-24 illustrate a representative vehicle floor tray 1500 for a different model vehicle than the one shown in FIGS. 1-14, and made by a somewhat different method. As before, tray 1500 preferably is an integral piece that has been molded from a flat blank of thermoplastic, preferably triextruded material of substantially uniform thickness, in this illustrated embodiment 0.125 inches (0.317 cm) or 0.120 inches (0.305 cm). The tray 1500 has a lower surface 1502 and an upper surface 1504. The tray 1500 is generally oriented in a fore-and-aft direction along axis 1506, which is parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The illustrated tray 1500 has a floor portion 1508 and upstanding, peripheral side walls 1510, 1512, 1514 and 1516.

The upper surface 1504 of the tray 1500 has a reservoir 1522, into which empty a plurality of substantially parallel, elongate, longitudinally oriented channels 1524. The lateral extent of reservoir 1522 is defined by a circumferential boundary wall 1526. The wall 1526 has a predetermined depth between the adjoining portions of upper tray general surface 1504, and the upper surface 1528 of the floor tray within the reservoir 1522 (upper surface 1528 forming the reservoir “bottom”). This depth or step is preferably 0.25 inches (0.635 cm), but can be as little as 0.050 inches (0.127 cm). The reservoir is positioned within the aft two-thirds of the tray, toward the seat rather than toward the firewall, and preferably within the aft one-half thereof. The reservoir will occupy between ten and fifty percent of the upper tray surface 1504, more typically about 25%-45%. The shape and extent of the reservoir 1524 will vary substantially from one model of vehicle to the next. It is preferred that the reservoir boundary be laterally displaced from the aft inside wall 1510 and any structures to the sides; in a particularly preferred embodiment, the boundary of the reservoir is no closer to a margin of the tray than a predetermined setoff.

Each of the bottoms 1530 of the channels 1524 is depressed from the general tray upper surface 1504 by a preselected, preferably uniform depth that is chosen to be smaller than the depth of the reservoir wall 1526. Preferably, this depth is selected to be 0.125 in. (0.317 cm). As before, the reservoir 1522 has a plurality of upstanding combination treads and baffles 1532, most or all of which have both a longitudinal portion 1534 and a transverse portion 1536 joined to the longitudinal portion 1534, positioned so as to retard the sloshing about of fluid which has drained into the reservoir.

The lower surface 1502 of the tray 1500 substantially conforms to a captured model of the surface of the vehicle foot well for which it is custom-designed. Almost all points on the lower surface of tray 1500 are no more than 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) from the closest point on the model, and in most instances is much closer than this, such as 0.25 inch (0.635 cm) or 0.125 inch (0.317 cm). In FIGS. 15 and 16, there are shown shaded portions 1538, 1540 at which the lower surface is not within a predetermined tolerance of ⅛ in. (0.317 cm) from a digitally captured and stored model of the vehicle foot well surface, once this model is superimposed upon the lower surface 1502 of the tray to achieve its best fit thereto. The nonshaded portions (a majority of the tray lower surface) are within this tolerance. It is preferred that at least ninety percent of the tray lower surface 1502 be within 0.25 in. (0.635 cm) of the vehicle floor image, and that at least fifty percent of the tray lower surface be within 0.125 in. (0.317 cm) of the vehicle floor image. The vehicle foot well surface model itself is not shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The out-of tolerance portions typically include regions 1538 at the deep corners of the floor 1508 and walls such as walls 1516 and 1512, and regions 1540 which are adjacent to the reservoir 1522 and some of the channels 1524. Regions 1538 are intentional departures from a tight tolerance in order to address difficulties of molding deep, vertical walls. Regions 1540 result from including channels 1524, ribs 1532 and the reservoir 1522 into a part which has a substantially uniform sheet thickness.

FIGS. 17 and 18 show the same tray 1500, but with shaded regions 1700, 1702 that do not conform to a preselected, looser tolerance such as ¼ in. (0.635 cm), the lower surface 1502 of the rest of the tray 1500 coming within this tolerance relative to the vehicle foot well surface model (not directly shown in these FIGUREs). Note that the out-of tolerance regions are much reduced in size from the shaded regions 1538-1540 shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.

FIGS. 19-22 are sectional views of the tray 1500 taken on various longitudinal and transverse planes. In each case, the tray 1500 is shown as superimposed on a vehicle foot well surface model 1900, shown in these sectional views as a single continuous curved line. The superimposition is done such that the mathematical construct or model 1900 of the vehicle foot well surface, which is derived from a CMM capture of the surface as it exists in an actual vehicle, is best fitted to the lower tray surface 1502. As well be later explained in conjunction with FIGS. 23 and 24, this best-fit superimposition results in some portions of the vehicle floor tray lower surface 1502 being above the model surface 1900, while other portions are below, or in interference or negative standoff with, the model surface 1900.

FIG. 19 in particular is a transverse section of the tray 1500 taken forwardly of the reservoir 1522, so as to cut through the longitudinal channels 1524. Because in a preferred embodiment the tray 1500 is formed from a blank of thermoplastic material of substantially uniform thickness, and because this blank is heated and sucked into a female mold in forming the tray, the shape of the upper surface 1504 is always a reflection of the shape of the lower surface 1502. Therefore, beneath each channel bottom 1530 is a lower surface portion 1902 that is offset from the general lower surface 1502 by a distance which is the same as the depth of the channel 1524. In the illustrated embodiment, this distance is ⅛ inch (0.317 cm) and in other embodiments the distance is 0.120 inch (0.305 cm).

When the vehicle foot well surface model 1900 is best-fit to the lower tray surface 1502, there is a tendency for the lower surface portions 1902 to be very near or displaced below the mathematical model surface 1900, while the other portions of the tray lower surface 1502 will be disposed at or above the model surface 1900. In this particular sectional view, the tray lower surface 1502 is at or above the floor model 1900. As before, the surface 1900 is captured from a CMM measurement of a layer of carpet pile, a yieldable layer which, when a mat, tray or other substantial load is placed on it, will have a tendency to compress in some places but not in others. The realization that carpet pile is yieldable (rather than a hard surface to which exact conformance is optimally required) permits the design of a floor tray, to be fashioned from a blank of thermoplastic material of substantially uniform thickness, that fits well to the foot wells of actual vehicles, and which at the same time includes desirable, deep upper surface features such as channels 1524, reservoir 1522 and treads 1532. As is illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24, the process according to the invention intentionally creates regions of negative standoff or interference relative to the carpeted vehicle surface 1900. The process takes advantage of the vehicle carpet's properties of selective and local compressibility to create a better-fitting tray which nonetheless incorporates desirable features such as a fluid reservoir and runoff channels.

The section shown in FIG. 20 is taken in a transverse or side-to-side direction across the reservoir 1522. FIG. 20A is a magnified detail of FIG. 20 which better illustrates the relationship of the lower and upper tray surfaces 1502, 1504 to the vehicle floor model horizon 1900. The depression of reservoir “bottom” 1528 below the general upper surface 1504 of the tray 1500 is the result of a relatively depressed portion 2000 of the lower tray surface relative to the general lower tray surface 1502. In the illustrated embodiment, the amount of this depression is about 0.25 inches (0.635 cm). When the vehicle foot well surface model 1900 is superimposed on the tray 1500 such that a best fit is achieved, the depressed portions 2000 will typically be below, or in interference with, the horizon of the model 1900. Lower surface portions 2002, which are directly underneath longitudinal rib portions 1534, will be disposed closer to the mathematical surface 1900 and in certain instances will ride above it (not shown in this FIGURE; see regions 2300 in FIGS. 23 and 24). When the tray 1500 is fitted to an actual carpeted vehicle floor, the carpet pile (and any padding underneath) will be selectively compressed underneath portions 2000 but not as much underneath portions 2002. Most of the illustrated departure of surface 1502 from reconstructed surface 1900 will disappear.

FIG. 21 is a longitudinal section taken along a channel 1524 and a longitudinal rib portion 1534 (in the illustrated embodiments, these structures are intentionally aligned, so that the force of any runoff in a channel 1524 is broken by a tread 1534). This section and its details FIGS. 21A and 21B show the close conformance of the general lower surface 1502 of the tray 1500 to the mathematically reconstructed vehicle foot well surface model 1900. FIG. 21A in particular is a detail including the forward reservoir wall 1526. It can be seen that the model surface 1900 is located above the reservoir bottom 1528 in this sectional plane. The model surface is otherwise very close to the tray lower surface 1502 underneath channel 1524 and rib or tread 1534.

FIG. 21B details a region including the forward end of channel 1524 and the transition of the tray 1500 from the floor to the firewall. As can be seen, the vehicle floor surface model 1900 goes through the lower surface 1502 and even the upper surface 1504 as one climbs the forward panel 1514. This intentional negative standoff will compress the carpeting of the vehicle floor at this point and desirably create a very tight fit in the area of the accelerator and brake pedals.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal section taken through tray 1500 and superimposed foot well surface model 1900 between channels and 1524 and between treads 1532. As is best seen in the detail, on this sectional plane the reservoir bottom 1528 is located below the mathematical surface 1900 when surface 1900 is best-fit to the tray 1500, while general lower tray surface 1502, in the area forward of the reservoir 1522, rides above this model surface.

FIGS. 23 and 24 are isometric views, from different angles of the tray 1500 as superimposed on the vehicle foot well model surface 1900, such that a best fit between the two is obtained. The outer margins of the surface model 1900 are seen. Within the lateral boundaries of tray 1500, the shading indicates where model surface 1900 is in “negative standoff” with respect to the tray lower surface 1502. These areas include most of the reservoir 1522 but also most of forward panel 1514, where a particularly tight fit is desired.

In a second process according to the invention, and referring to FIG. 25, at step 2500 a vehicle foot well surface model 1900 is acquired in a manner similar to the steps described in conjunction with FIG. 7. The method used to acquire the data on which this model is built preferably is one which does not compress the surface being measured, which usually is vehicle carpet pile. This may be done by employing a laser CMM machine.

At step 2502, the vehicle foot well surface model 1900 is used to construct a beginning lower tray surface, as by use of B-splines and lofting. At a step 2504, a top sketch plane is selected. This sketch plane will form the top margin of the tray. As before, it is preferred to cant this sketch plane forwardly and upwardly, such that the resultant tray is deeper near the fire wall than it is adjacent the seat pedestal. Canting the top sketch plane in this way creates enhanced protection of the vehicle foot well sides while at the same time ensuring that the tray does not interfere with the adjustment of the seat by sliding the seat forward and backward atop its pedestal.

This lower tray surface, which starts as an exact replication of the surface model 1900, is then modified in each of several ways. First, at step 2506, any vertical walls that are more than a predetermined depth (such as the kick plate) are angled inwardly from the top margin to the floor by a draft so that they are no longer vertical, and so that they can be replicated by the preferred female vacuum molding process without unacceptable thinning. At step 2508, any sharp comers in the initial lower surface 2502 are radiussed, and surface irregularities (such as might be caused by carpet wrinkles) are smoothed out.

At step 2510, the size, shape and position of the reservoir on the tray is determined, along with the size, shape and position of the ribs or treads within the reservoir. In one embodiment, the reservoir, and the treads or baffles within it, have a substantially uniform appearance from one vehicle model to the next. A prestored electronic file may be used which contains a basic reservoir shape, which is then altered in order to fit the vehicle foot well in question. For example, the reservoir may be chosen to always have a convexly arcuate front wall (see, e.g., wall 1526 in FIG. 15) and the tread spacing and shape may be held to be uniform. Preferably, however, the reservoir will have rear and other margins that are laterally offset by a predetermined amount from the edge of the floor tray, and this requires modification of the prestored reservoir template to fit the vehicle model in question.

Once the lateral boundaries of the reservoir have been fixed, at 2512 the general lower tray surface is down-projected orthogonally by a uniform step (such as 0.25 in. (0.635cm), but in any case by at least 0.05 in. (0.127 cm) to create lower surfaces 2000 which will define the reservoir “bottom” 1528 once the molding process is completed. As seen for example in FIG. 20A, the down-projected bottom surface portions 2000 are, in any sectional direction, two sheet thicknesses wider than the features in the upper surface 1504 that they will create. The down-projected portions 2000 are therefore dimensioned to be two sheet thicknesses wider than the thickness of the corresponding “valleys” in the reservoir floor 1528 which will result. Concomitantly, the portions 2002 underneath the ribs 1534 are two sheet thicknesses thinner than the lateral thickness of the ribs 1534 themselves.

At step 2514 in FIG. 25, the channels 1524 are similarly characterized and placed. In a preferred embodiment, the spacing and depth of the channels 1524 are held to be uniform from one vehicle style to the next, and therefore these details can be pre-stored as an electronic template. In one embodiment, the electronic template that stores the basic reservoir shape can also store the basic array of channels 1524, as they mate with the reservoir in the same way from one vehicle model to the next.

While the spacing, width and parallelism of the channels 1524 is held to be much the same, the forward area of upper surface 1504 that they cover will vary greatly from one vehicle to the next. The length of the channels 1524, and the positioning of their forward ends, therefore have to be custom-chosen. As in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-14, and at step 2516, for the left-hand-side (driver's) tray, a circle of space near the accelerator peddle is kept clear of the channels 1524 in order to prevent any possibility of “heel trap.”

At step 2518, the properly specified channels 1524 are “down projected” from the general tray bottom surface 1502 by a specified, and preferably constant, amount to create down-projected portions 1902. Preferably, this amount is specified as being smaller than the amount of down-projection used to create reservoir bottom 1528, such as 0.125 in. (0.317 cm) where the reservoir depth is 0.25 in. (0.635 cm) As best seen in FIG. 20A, these down-projected portions 1902 intentionally are made laterally wider than the width of the channels 1524 that they will create. The difference between the width of a down-projected portion 1902 and a corresponding channel 1524 is about two thicknesses of the sheet blank that will be used to form the part. This down-projection step will complete a draft or trial file 2520 for the lower surface of the part.

At step 2522, an SLA file is created from the draft or trial file. The draft or trial file 2520 only needs to have a lower surface, as the features of the upper surface are created automatically by the thermoplastic conformance of the sheet blank into the one-sided female mold. The SLA file, on the other hand, has an upper surface that must be separately specified. This can be done, for example, by “shelling” the part surface to create the upper part surface, as by upwardly and inwardly projecting the lower part surface by an amount equal to the SLA sheet thickness.

Using the SLA file, at step 2524 a prototype is made and is test-fit into the vehicle foot well, and any necessary modifications are made. The final file results at step 2526. The final file is used to create the internal surface of the female mold at step 2528. At step 2530, sheets or blanks of thermoplastic material, of uniform thickness and preferably tri-extruded according to the process described earlier herein, are fed to the vacuum mold 2528. Three-dimensional trays 1500 result. The sheets or blanks at step 2530 may have a hair-cell or other textured pattern imprinted into their top surface prior to molding. This pattern persists despite the thermoplastic conformance of the sheet into the hills and valleys of the mold.

In summary, novel vehicle floor trays have been shown and described which fit, within tight tolerances, to the vehicle foot well for which they are created. The floor tray according to the invention includes a reservoir and channel system for retaining runoff in a way that will not slosh around in the foot well. By using a triextruded sheet blank, the tray combines the desirable coefficient of friction and yieldability characteristics of a thermoplastic elastomer, the lower cost of a polyolefin and a toughness that exceeds either material taken alone. Use of an initial captured image of the vehicle foot well to electronically shape the lower surface of the floor tray results in better fit. Using negative standoff to take advantage of vehicle carpeting's property of selective compressibility permits the creation of a reservoir, channels and tight-gripping surfaces in the molded part.

While illustrated embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated in the appended drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto but only by the scope and spirit of the appended claims. 

1. A system including a vehicle and a removable tray for a foot well of the vehicle, comprising: a vehicle foot well having a surface including a floor, an upstanding generally longitudinal first wall extending upward from the floor, an upstanding generally transverse second wall extending from the floor and substantially formed at an angle to the first wall, the foot well being generally arranged in a longitudinal or fore and aft direction substantially parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle; a vehicle foot well surface model which replicates the vehicle foot well surface; and a tray formed of polymeric material for fitting into the vehicle foot well and having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least ninety percent of the lower surface of the tray being within 0.25 inch (0.635 cm) of the vehicle foot well surface model when the vehicle foot well surface model is mathematically superimposed to best fit the lower surface of the tray, a reservoir formed in the upper surface of the tray to be located within an aft two-thirds of the upper surface of the tray and to occupy an area between ten and fifty percent of the upper surface of the tray, a circumferential wall defining a lateral boundary of the reservoir, the wall having a depth of at least 0.050 inches (0.0127 cm), the tray having a floor, an upstanding generally longitudinally oriented first wall of the tray extending from the floor and substantially conforming to said first wall of the vehicle foot well, an upstanding generally transversely oriented second wall of the tray extending from the floor of the tray and substantially conforming to said second wall of the vehicle foot well.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least fifty percent of the lower surface of the tray is within 0.125 inch (0.317 cm) of the vehicle foot well surface model when the model is superimposed to best fit the lower surface of the tray.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein a depth of said first wall of the tray as measured from the top margin to the floor is at least four inches (10.1 cm) at its deepest part.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein an outside surface of the first wall of the tray faces a transmission tunnel of the vehicle.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein an outside surface of the first wall of the tray faces a kick plate of the vehicle foot well.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein an outside surface of the second wall of the tray faces a firewall of the vehicle foot well.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein an outside surface of the second wall of the tray faces a seat pedestal of the vehicle foot well or a surface of a vehicle seat.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the vehicle foot well surfaces is a curved surface, an outside surface of a respective upstanding wall of the tray being a conforming curved surface.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of said curved surfaces contain both concave and convex curves.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle foot well surface model is a digital, machine-readable record.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle foot well surface is a compressible surface, the model replicating the vehicle foot well surface as it exists in a substantially uncompressed condition, the vehicle foot well surface being selectively compressed by the tray once the tray is installed in the vehicle.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the circumferential wall has a depth of about 0.25 inches (0.635 cm).
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the floor tray lower surface beneath the reservoir is a projection of the corresponding foot well surface.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of generally longitudinally oriented, elongate and generally parallel channels are formed in the upper surface of the tray to terminate at the reservoir, each channel having a depth which is less than the depth of the circumferential wall of the reservoir.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein portions of the floor tray surface beneath the channels are projections of respective portions of the vehicle foot well surface.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle foot well surface model is superimposed on the tray to achieve a best fit thereto, portions of vehicle foot well surface model are in negative standoff relative to the bottom surface of the tray.
 17. A process for manufacturing a vehicle floor tray, comprising the steps of: digitally measuring and storing points on a vehicle foot well surface; using the stored points to construct a vehicle foot well surface model; using the model of the vehicle foot well surface to construct a three-dimensional image of a vehicle floor tray, said step of using the model including the substeps of replicating the vehicle foot well surface model to create a general lower surface of the vehicle floor tray, and within a predetermined reservoir area, downwardly projecting the vehicle foot well surface model by at least 0.050 inch from the general lower surface of the vehicle floor tray to create a lower surface of the tray image within the reservoir area; using the stored three-dimensional image to construct a mold for the vehicle floor tray; and manufacturing the vehicle floor tray by molding polymer material in the mold.
 18. The process of claim 17, and further including the steps of: within a region of the three dimensional image of the vehicle floor tray which is forward of the reservoir area, defining a plurality of elongate, generally longitudinally aligned, generally parallel channels; and downwardly projecting the vehicle foot well surface model from the general lower surface model of the vehicle floor tray to create the lower surface of the vehicle floor tray in areas beneath the channels.
 19. The process of claim 17, wherein said step of digitally measuring the points on the surface of the vehicle foot well comprises using a coordinate measurement machine (CMM).
 20. The process of claim 17, wherein said step of digitally measuring the points on the surface of the vehicle foot well comprises measuring points on a surface of a vehicle carpet in a substantially uncompressed condition.
 21. A process for manufacturing a vehicle floor tray, comprising the steps of: digitally measuring and storing points on a vehicle foot well surface which is selectively compressible, the surface from which said points are obtained being substantially uncompressed; using the stored points to construct a vehicle foot well surface model; using the model of the vehicle foot well surface to construct a three-dimensional image of a vehicle floor tray, said step of using the model including the step of disposing portions of the surface of said three-dimensional image in an intentional negative standoff relative to corresponding portions of the vehicle foot well surface when the three-dimensional image of the vehicle floor tray is best-fit to the vehicle foot well surface model; using the stored three-dimensional image to construct a mold of for the vehicle floor tray; manufacturing the vehicle floor tray by molding polymer material in the mold; and fitting the tray into the vehicle foot well by selectively compressing portions of the vehicle foot well surface corresponding to those portions of the three-dimensional image which are in negative standoff with corresponding portions of the vehicle foot well surface model. 